1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plumbing fittings and particularly to a universal plumbing pipe locator for supporting pipes in a predetermined spaced apart relation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pipes adapted to mate with a plumbing fixture such as a sink or the like typically extend upwardly between building studs, and then project outwardly for connection to the fixture. The pipes must be securely fixed in place to prevent vertical, lateral and axial movements under the stress of use. The pipes must also be located a predetermined distance apart to precisely align them with the fixture inlets.
One prior art means for securing pipes between studs utilizes a strap to which are bolted elbows specially configured and oriented to receive the pipes, the vertical runs of the pipes being coupled to one end of the elbows, and the horizontal runs being coupled to the other end, as disclosed, in Beyerle, "Plumbing Assembly", U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,708. The system undesirably requires special elbows and fasteners for attaching the elbows to the strap.
Other prior art supporting straps include a single, continuous horizontal slot through which an elbow is mounted, the elbow being locked in place by a threaded fitting, as disclosed in Aaby, "Supporting Bracket for Water Pipe Fittings", U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,799.
In addition to the use of elbows bolted to a supporting strap, the prior art also teaches universal supporting bars to which straps are bolted, the straps in turn securing a pipe or an armored cable to the supporting bar. This is shown in Albanese, "Multi-Purpose Support Bar", U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,307.
Prior art universal straps further include integrally molded collars to which the pipes are fitted to hold the pipes in place, as seen in Tortorice, "Bracket for Valve Fixtures", U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,483.
These various devices of prior art each present the complications in that the plumber must manipulate specialized fasteners or the like to attach specially configured fittings to a support strap to hold the pipes in place. None of such devices is adapted to rigidly support the pipes and precisely align them with plumbing fixtures without using special bolted elbows, straps, fasteners, hooks or the like.